For the Love of All Things 'Kate and Caroline'
by Cheynne T
Summary: Series 2...Caroline arrives home to find John and Judith 'at it' in her house so she packs the boys in the car and heads for Kate's place. I have often mused about what happens at Kate's...here is my version of events.


**_I know I said I was finished writing fan fiction for Last Tango and, strictly speaking, I have. However, when I was cleaning up my study, going through all my drafts and deciding whether to keep them or toss them….yes, I handwrite them all…I came across this one-off that I wrote one weekend way back during series two as I wondered about what actually happened when Caroline took the boys to go and stay at Kate's place for the night. Other than to write the draft, I didn't have time to work on it because I was mid-story and between chapters of something else so I tucked it away as it was. On rediscovering it and with some time on my hands, I have given it some spit and polish in equal amounts in the hopes that it is now suitable for fanfiction consumption._**

 ** _I also didn't put it up because I couldn't decide on a title and still can't so I've left it with the working title which is simply…._**

 ** _For the Love of All Things 'Kate and Caroline'_** ** _._**

Caroline looked at her two sons who had now joined the troupe that formed the circus in the hallway made up of the inebriated duo of John in his shabby T-shirt and crumpled boxers and Judith wearing nothing but a bandage and a bathrobe. Both of them were doing a precarious balancing act at the bottom of the stairs to the straight-laced performance of a contemptuous Caroline. The show had reached a temporary impasse as they stood in momentary silence, John struggling to remember where he had put that last scrap of dignity, Judith fighting back the queasiness in her stomach and Caroline assessing the least humiliating way out of this latest debacle.

Having heard the sound of their mother's voice, William and Lawrence had tentatively stepped from the living room where they had sought sanctuary whilst their father and Judith had been on their alcohol-fuelled rampage, firstly wreaking havoc through what had been Caroline's pristine kitchen before taking their debauched acrobatics up into Caroline's bedroom.

William's cheeks were flushed with anger and the quake in his voice gave away his disdain as he described to his mother the drunken antics of the pair. Just as painful to Caroline as her own humiliation was seeing her other son, Lawrence, on the verge of tears and the abject misery written on his face as he all but cowered behind his older brother.

Ignoring John and Judith for the moment, Caroline turned to address the boys, issuing forth her instructions with as much control and calm as she could muster.

"Get you coats on. Get in my car."

Clearly relieved at the unexpected return of their mother, her presence a reassurance that there was now a grown-up in the room who could take charge and give hope that their nightmare would soon be over, both boys immediately headed for the coat rack and the front door, neither of them feeling compelled to question where they might be going.

Now that her sons were taken care of, Caroline returned her attention to John.

"I'll be back in the morning and I don't care how you do it but this kitchen better be as spotless as it was when I left this afternoon."

With no self-respect left to lose and his drunkenness emboldening him, John was reluctant to leave the argument there. Using the balustrade to steady himself, he prepared to fight to reclaim the high moral ground by reminding Caroline that it was _his_ money that had paid for the house and it was _she_ who had traumatised their children with her lesbian flirtations, however, it was a battle that was irrevocably lost when Judith, no longer able to control the sour mixture of copious amounts of alcohol and highly-suspect food churning in her stomach, chose that moment to vomit violently over the handrail and onto the hallway rug, a rug Caroline had purchased last summer for a little over £1000.

Caroline turned to leave, her expression a study of weary indifference.

"I'll see you in the morning."

As she strode to the door, the sound of Judith's retching continuing to play in the background, she tried once again to remember what it was that had first attracted her to John all those years ago but it was to no avail. She was going to have to write it off as temporary insanity. They say women marry men who are like their father and John was proof positive that this was probably close to the truth.

Shaken to their core by the events of the afternoon, William and Lawrence sat wordlessly in the back seat of the Jeep, disgust and disappointment etched on their respective faces, as Caroline drove along the black ribbon of road towards an unknown destination. In the prevailing silence that was steeped in embarrassment and confusion, thoughts that Caroline had been stridently supressing since discovering that Gillian had slept with John now simmered to the surface once again.

 _Was Judith the first or had John been sleeping with all and sundry for their entire married life? Was she the last person to know about his philandering? Were there others who knew about it and were laughing at her behind her back or, even worse, feeling sorry for her?_

Caroline was wrenched from her wallowing by sudden screams.

"Mum!"

In her pre-occupied state she had allowed the Jeep to drift to the opposite side of the road and into the path of an oncoming lorry. Caroline yanked the steering wheel hard in the opposite direction then fought to get the vehicle back on a steady path.

"Sorry, boys…"she said as she regained control of the car but not her pounding heart.

Realising the certain collision she had only narrowly averted with more luck than skill, Caroline drove on more slowly, more carefully, the adrenaline continuing to course through her veins.

"Mum, are you alright?" William was the first to ask once the panic began to subside.

"I'm just a bit tired but yes, I'm okay….I'm fine."

She wasn't fine though, not really, and she wouldn't be until she had her recalcitrant ex-husband out of her home and out of her life for good. The problem was, however, that rather than move out and let them all start afresh, John was hell-bent on causing as much disruption as possible by remaining firmly ensconced in their lives and in the house. In her mind Caroline likened him to that annoying itch that, try as you might to scratch it, remained just out of reach or, on her less-forgiving days, a recurring dose of thrush.

"Are you alright, boys?" Caroline asked.

In reply there came some unconvincing mutterings from the back seat of, 'Yes, we're fine.'

"We're nearly there," she added, hoping to relieve some of the tension that saw their nerves stretched taut and fraying at the edges.

The route they were taking wasn't familiar to either lad so Lawrence asked meekly, "Where are we going?"

"To Kate's."

Although not keen on the idea, Lawrence didn't take up the challenge in his mother's voice that dared him to complain. Instead, he slipped a sideways glance towards his brother where he was met with an expression that warned him not to upset his mother any further by saying something stupid or causing any sort of trouble.

It had been instinctive to turn to Kate for support in a time of trouble but as Caroline neared Kate's house she began to have second thoughts. Things between them had been working out quite well lately although, with John constantly turning up at the house pissed and less than cordial when Kate was visiting, and Lawrence being objectionable about the whole situation, it hadn't been entirely smooth sailing. Then, of course, there was her mother who was onboard in theory but, in practice, it was never going to be that simple. However, Caroline was attempting to deal with all this.

It didn't help that in her own mind she remained unsure as to what exactly they were or what she wanted them to be, she and Kate…..clearly they were more than friends as they had been intimate on several occasions now. Floating its way through her mire of problems came the vision of Kate's exquisite body lying fully-exposed and pressed against her own nakedness, warm and luxurious. Together with the thought of Kate's soft lips upon her breast and mobile fingers working their way across her body stirring up such erogenous delight before dipping into the slickness between her thighs, a completely different sort of tempest arose within her ….. She did love and trust Kate enough to have sex with her so, yes, they were definitely lovers but her heart had been locked in a cage for almost twenty years and she wasn't convinced it was ready to be freed.

Maybe she was being too presumptuous in thinking they could seek refuge at Kate's place. Caroline didn't relish the thought of being humiliated for a second time that evening and especially in front of Kate. Maybe she should drive on to Gillian's farm instead and stay there the night, although, it would be late by the time they arrived and she wasn't sure her nerves would handle another long drive. The idea of having to explain the situation to Gillian also wasn't appealing.

Creeping back into her thoughts came the recent memory of how totally gutted she had felt when, after an altercation at a family dinner, Kate had decided she didn't want to see Caroline anymore. Rather than stay the night as promised, Kate had called a cab to take her home and the very next day she had handed in her resignation. The fact that Kate couldn't even stand to be near her had left Caroline devastated and bemoaning her own inability to express to Celia, or anyone for that matter, exactly how she felt about her for, in all honesty, she did recognize how much Kate meant to her, she just wasn't brave enough to name it, at least, not out loud for everyone to hear…for everyone to know. She didn't want it to be like that. Not yet.

It was true. She _did_ love Kate…not that she'd ever said that out loud to anyone either, not even herself… She was in no doubt that there could be no more pretending and if she was ever going to spend the rest of her life with someone, that person would be Kate. What she did doubt was her own ability to be a worthy part of such a relationship. She'd grown up in a household where the only relationship she was exposed to was one of icy tolerance. Her parents only spoke to each other when it was necessary and, knowing nothing else, Caroline had come to see that as normal. Of course, she knew now that it wasn't. Over the years she'd seen other people's relationships that were loving and generous….healthy relationships. What she didn't know was if she could _do_ that kind of relationship, the kind of relationship Kate deserved.

Caroline drew up outside Kate's cottage which, with its quaint appearance and slightly-overgrown garden, oozed an old-style charm that was as inviting as ever. As she made to leave the car she realised that she had been so caught up in her worries and doubts that she hadn't taken the time to phone Kate to ask if they could stay or at least let her know she was on her way and that she was bringing the boys. She had simply hoped that Kate would be as accommodating as always and, of course, she would be but a twinge of guilt for so casually taking advantage of the woman's generous nature pinched at Caroline's conscience. Appalled at her thoughtlessness, she assuaged her guilt a fraction by promising herself that she would make it up to her by arranging something special… perhaps she would take her away for a few days, just the two of them….a nice, little hotel somewhere for a weekend and spoil her… maybe for her birthday which was coming up.

Slinging her handbag over her shoulder, Caroline gathered her nerve, stepped out of the Jeep and instructed the boys to come with her. Together the cheerless little band made their way up the path to Kate's doorstep.

After a deep, calming breath, Caroline reached up and gave the doorbell a short, sharp twist. Its metallic trill harsh against the quiet of the night. As they waited in the darkness for Kate to appear Caroline was suddenly struck by another thought. _What if Kate had made arrangements to go out for the evening? Maybe she had visitors._ She really hadn't planned this through properly, Caroline thought to herself. She had immediately and rather selfishly she realised, assumed that Kate would simply be there for her.

Just as she was contemplating leaving and finding somewhere else to stay, a local B&B perhaps, the outside light above the door flickered reluctantly to life and Caroline could see Kate approaching, a quizzical expression on her face. Caroline's insecurities rose once again but, despite the circumstances, her heart fluttered recklessly at the mere sight of the woman.

Earlier in the day Kate had looked forward to spending the evening, if not the entire night, with Caroline even though they hadn't made any formal plans but at about mid-morning she had received a call from her to say she was going to Halifax to visit Alan who had regained consciousness after his heart attack and to drop off some essentials to Celia. Caroline also mentioned that she would be staying at the farm overnight which put pay to any plans Kate might have had of an intimate evening together.

Kate had considered making alternate arrangements to go out, mainly as a distraction to avoid dwelling on her disappointment but she could think of no one else who she even remotely wanted to be with and, knowing how preoccupied her thoughts would be with Caroline, it was probably best she didn't inflict herself on any of her friends anyway. She decided she didn't really have the motivation to make the sort of effort required to be sociable so, instead, she had opened a bottle of wine and plonked herself on the settee in front of the television where images flashed and canned laughter played but Kate's mind was miles away imagining herself all alone with Caroline on a desert island, lying on a sun-drenched beach kissing every inch of her naked body, making love to her ….(Kate often wondered if it would be considered unhealthy that every time she imagined herself with Caroline they were naked)….with no John, no Celia ….no bloody body at all, in fact, to interfere with them. She was all too well aware that she was behaving like a love-sick teenager and had chastised herself endlessly for it but she couldn't help it. She had fallen for the woman the moment she had laid eyes on her and now they were so close to being together and yet, it seemed at times, so far away. If only everyone else would stop their interfering.

The sudden shrill ring of the doorbell had startled her from her daydreaming. The last thing she expected at this time of night was visitors. Curious as to who it could be, she quickly rose from the comfort of the settee, straightening the cricks in her neck from lying too long in the one position and tidying herself up a little as she made her way to the door, automatically switching on the outside light as she went.

Eyes squinting into the light, Kate peered through the panes of glass in the door as she tried to make out through the distorted reflections the figure on the other side. Was that Caroline or was it just her imagination playing tricks? Kate checked again. It _was_ Caroline.

Without further hesitation Kate opened the door, a broad smile on her face; a smile the warmth of which never failed to make Caroline's heart skip a beat.

"Caroline….hi," Kate said with obvious pleasure and surprise. Now that the door was open and she wasn't having to look through the glare of glass, Kate could see that Lawrence and William were also there in the shadows and her confusion returned. "I thought you were staying at Gillian's…"

"I was but….Do you mind if we…?"

Not wanting to explain what had happened right there on the doorstep and in front of the boys, Caroline gestured with a tenuous nod towards the inside of the house.

"No…no…of course not," Kate stumbled, a little embarrassed that, in her surprise, she had forgotten to invite them in. "Sorry… come in."

She stepped aside and ushered them all inside towards the living room. "Have a ….sit down….get comfortable."

Caroline sat on the settee and was immediately joined by Lawrence and William who perched anxiously on the edge of the seat beside her. Kate noted the dejected faces and the restless fidgeting of hands. The obvious uneasiness of her guests made her feel slightly stilted as well as she sat straight-backed in the remaining arm chair looking at the unhappy trio and wondering what it was that was causing such angst.

"Would anyone like a cup of tea? I'm making a fresh pot," Kate asked mainly as a way of breaking the awkward silence that had fallen over the room.

Both boys politely declined, however, Lawrence did accept Kate's offer to make use of the television as she handed him the remote control. William's eyes had inevitably drifted to the shelves of books that lined one wall. Noticing this and after doing a quick scan to ensure that her small collection of lesbian erotica was tucked away out of sight, Kate suggested that he could avail himself of them if he wished. William gratefully accepted and instantly rose to peruse the titles.

While both boys made their own escape from the day's trauma….Lawrence with the television….William with a book….Caroline stood and followed Kate into the kitchen.

"Would you prefer something a bit stronger than tea?" Kate asked as she proffered the bottle of wine she had opened for herself earlier but barely touched.

"No, thank you. Tea is fine," Caroline replied and with that reply Kate sensed that the woman who was normally a tower of strength was on the verge of tears.

No longer having to put on a brave face for the boys and with her energy all but drained, Caroline slumped into one of the kitchen chairs, rested her elbows on the table and put her face in her hands, closing her eyes tightly as, in her mind, she tried to unravel the tangled mess that was her life at the moment. For some unaccountable reason, a tumultuous pile of trouble had been dumped on her shoulders and its weightiness had finally wearied her to a point where she wasn't sure she knew how to carry on.

Although wanting nothing more than to put her arms around Caroline and console her, let her love for the woman soothe her, Kate wasn't confident that it was a gesture that would be appreciated so she let her be and instead continued to go about making the tea.

By the time Kate placed their mugs on the table, Caroline was looking a little more composed and even managed a brittle smile as she thanked her.

Kate pulled out a chair and sat beside her, at the same time she reached over to smooth away the furrows of worry on Caroline's forehead and then traced her fingers along the pale, lightly-freckled cheek. Her hand came to rest on Caroline's forearm which she squeezed affectionately and continued to hold on to. The tenderness of the gesture and the rouse of her touch temporarily distracted Caroline's attention from her woes.

"What's happened?" Kate finally asked.

"It's a long, convoluted story and I _will_ explain but first, can I ask….Would you mind if the boys and I stayed the night?"

Confused even further by the request but quietly thrilled at the thought of having Caroline with her for the entire night, Kate was quick to reply with a "Yes, of course you can stay…..as long as one of the boys doesn't mind sleeping on a trundle….there's a spare bed but it's a single….unless, with the boys here, you want to use it or I could…."

Caroline answered quickly in order to put Kate's mind at ease. "No...No…I'm happy….more than happy to sleep with you in yours….If that's alright with you?"

Kate smiled and gave Caroline's arm another gentle squeeze. "Do you need to ask?"

The reply brought a modest smile to Caroline's face also.

"Right then. I'll go and settle the boys into their room and then you can tell me what's going on?'

Caroline nodded gratefully. "Thank you."

Just as Kate stood to leave, Caroline caught her gently by the arm and pressed a soft kiss against Kate's inner wrist leaving a hot impression on the sensitive skin which lingered well after the actual kiss had gone. If she'd left her lips there a little longer she would have felt Kate's pulse begin to race.

With her mug in her hand, Caroline accompanied Kate into the living room so she could say goodnight to the boys before they were shown to the upstairs room where they would be spending the night as well as the location of the amenities.

While Kate was upstairs Caroline slipped off her coat and scarf, draping them neatly over the back of the armchair. Finally, she also got to kick off her boots as she made herself comfortable on the settee where she sipped her tea and contemplated what she could do to solve her situation on a more permanent basis. Tempting as it was, murder was out of the question as there was always the risk of being caught and she needed to be around for her boys. On the drive over she had fleetingly thought of one possible solution but had just as quickly dismissed it as it would require Kate's involvement and she wasn't sure she wanted to inflict her 'John' problems onto Kate if it could be helped.

The light touch of Kate's hand on her shoulder as she rounded the sofa to join her drew Caroline from her thoughts and she obligingly sat up so as to make some room beside her which Kate promptly filled, one leg tucked up on the sofa so she sat side-on facing Caroline. While one dark, slender arm draped along the back of the sofa behind Caroline, the hand of the other rested casually on Caroline's thigh causing pleasurable stirrings within both women.

"What's happened?" Kate asked again, her gaze full of genuine concern.

Reluctantly ignoring for now the effect Kate's hand was having on her various parts, Caroline placed her mug of tea carefully on the coffee table and ran a hand despondently through her hair as she decided on where to begin.

Eventually she blurted out, "John's slept with Gillian."

"John did? With Gillian? When?"

As expected, Kate was almost as shocked as Caroline had been.

"The night of my birthday….the night he was over at the farm shooting his mouth off about me….you and me….While I spent the night propping Judith up in Emergency covered in blood, John and Gillian ended up in bed together."

"Really?" Kate asked, still not quite believing what she was hearing. "How do you know all this?"

"She told me….Gillian did. She was drunk…they both were…and she regrets it now but that doesn't alter the facts."

Caroline reached for her cup of tea and took a calming sip as she let her words sink in.

"After she told me, it all became rather awkward and I wasn't comfortable staying there the night….besides, I wanted to hear what John had to say for himself….I knew he was infatuated with her but it didn't ever cross my mind that he'd actually sleep with her. How do people do that….just hop from one bed to the other like that?"

A confounded "I don't know" was the best response Kate could come up with.

"And then, when I arrived back in Harrogate, I walk in to find Judith, totally pissed and wearing _my_ bathrobe, sprawled out in the hallway at the bottom of the stairs….and the kitchen…my lovely kitchen… it looked like some sort of voracious monster had been disembowelled in it and the entrails flung willy-nilly around the room." The despondency that had been in Caroline's voice was rapidly being replaced by her mounting anger. "According to William, the pair of them had had a food fight…and then they went up into my bedroom….I don't even want to think about what went on in there!" An involuntary shudder shivered down the length of her spine.

Caroline put her mug back on the coffee table with a little more force than intended causing a sharp rap on the glass top that jarred her already rattled nerves.

"What are you going to do?" Kate asked.

"I don't know!" Realising that she had inadvertently aimed her irritation at the wrong person, she added more quietly, "Sorry, Kate….I didn't mean to…" as her fingers, yet again, strained through her hair.

"I know…You're upset…it's alright," Kate replied rubbing a soothing hand along Caroline's thigh. As always, she was more than ready to forgive.

Falling back further into the seat, Caroline's anger was steadily leaking out of her like air from a punctured tyre and being replaced with a decided weariness as she continued.

"I don't know what to do….and I don't want to worry about it anymore tonight if I can help it," Caroline said with a dismissive wave of a hand, "Thinking about it is doing my head in. With any luck things may seem clearer in the light of a new day and maybe I will come up with a solution then."

The subtle, caring touches of Kate's hands, the warm, earthy-brown eyes that peered at her intently as she aired her grievances and the enticing closeness of their bodies that sparked the air between them as they sat together on the settee, all worked subliminally to suggest to Caroline that maybe things weren't quite as grim as they originally appeared and gradually an entirely different sensation evoked itself firstly amongst her thoughts and then spread steadily southwards to those parts of her body with much less complicated concerns.

Taking her cue from Caroline's words, Kate changed the subject by hooking a hand under the woman's chin and gently drawing the glorious mouth which she had been struggling to resist all evening towards her so as to give Caroline what was intended as a brief, reassuring kiss. However, the kiss lingered and rapidly lost any semblance of innocence as each woman yielded to the supple softness of the other's lips and the insistence of their tongue while hands began to fumble over unfamiliar clothing and fingers grappled desperately for buttons, zips, anything that would give them access to the merest inch of bare flesh.

It was the sound of footsteps padding on the floor above that eventually saw them draw apart, breathless and with hearts thumping wildly. They both looked anxiously towards the stairway while, at the same time, readjusting clothes, Kate only just managing to do up the last straining button on her blouse before William appeared.

"What's the matter, love?' Caroline asked trying to disguise the huskiness of her voice.

It took a mere glance at the flushed faces and the clothes still slightly askew for William to realise what he had disturbed.

"Sorry…..I was after a glass of water," he said as he pointed in the general direction of the kitchen. A flush of red now coloured his own cheeks.

"I'll fetch it for you if you like," Kate offered, making to rise from the settee but, not wanting to interrupt any further as it was apparent that his mother had found her own distraction from the day's drama, William quickly insisted that she should stay where she was and he would fetch it for himself.

As they waited for William to have his glass of water and return to his room, like love-struck adolescents confined in their parents' house, Kate and Caroline snatched secretive kisses and caresses that fanned the lust-filled fire they had so recently ignited.

Eventually, with one last goodnight, they watched William make his way back up the stairs.

"Maybe we should turn in too?" Kate said although her hint of a smile and the allure in her eyes suggested that actually 'turning in' was about as far from her mind as flying to the moon.

With those words, Kate unfolded from her position on the settee and stood then reached out a hand to help Caroline do the same as they too, kiss by kiss, the next more hungry than the last, made their way up the stairs until finally, each locked in the other's embrace, they stumbled across the threshold of Kate's bedroom. Once inside, Kate managed to kick the door shut with her foot and then freed a hand long enough to engage the lock, ensuring them of their privacy.

Between their urgent kisses, they shrugged free from the constraints of their clothing as they gradually closed the gap between themselves and the bed until, wearing only bra and knickers, they tumbled as one onto the soft folds of the bedcovers where their laughter forced them to briefly give up those kisses.

Caroline quickly took the initiative and rolled over to straddle Kate's hips, pinning Kate's hands to the bed with her own as she did, then began trailing her hot, eager mouth along the dips and swells of Kate's neck, her shoulders, her collar bone. In response, she could feel the twitch of Kate's body beneath her and hear the slight hitch in her breathing.

Caroline sat back for a moment and took in the sight before her. Kate's soft, brown eyes pleaded with her to continue, the wonderful mouth begged to be kissed, the hard nipples straining against the flimsy fabric of her bra invited her to reach for them.

Before Caroline realised it…before she had time to analyse and orchestrate, to weigh up the pros and cons or decide how best to express it….the words escaped her mouth, seemingly of their own accord….

"Kate…I love you."

oooOooo

Both boys downed their breakfast in the modest comfort of Kate's living room. Lawrence had made himself at home on the settee in front of the television and was absorbed in a replay of the Rugby match he had missed the previous night due initially to the loud music playing throughout the house and then the crash and bang of his father and Judith's cavorting in the kitchen.

William had tucked himself in the armchair and was concentrating on reading the book he had selected from Kate's bookshelf, apparently able to totally tune out the cacophony of alternate cheering and jeering that accompanied the Rugby match. With several titles that captured his interest, it had taken William quite a while to choose but in the end he settled on Thomas Hardy's "Far From the Madding Crowd" deciding that after last night he could definitely relate to the idea of just such a crowd.

Meanwhile, Kate and Caroline took their breakfast in the quieter surrounds of the kitchen. With the boys in the other room, it also provided them with the privacy for any conversation they wanted to have.

Kate had offered to prepare the full hot breakfast but Caroline had assured her that it wasn't necessary and that a slice of toast and a cup of strong tea would more than suffice.

"What are your plans for today?" Kate asked casually as she filled the kettle with water and put it on to boil. She dared to hope that Caroline wouldn't be dashing off too quickly.

"I guess I should go home at some stage and check to see what kind of state John and Judith have left the house in," Caroline said, barely enthused by the thought. She would have much preferred to spend the day with Kate, in fact, she had determined that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Kate.

Both women were still wrapped in the comforting blanket of last night's bliss and were reluctant to toss it aside.

"You need to send him packing, Caroline," Kate said. Whereas she normally tried to remain neutral about such matters, after Caroline's pronouncement last night, Kate felt more confident voicing her thoughts. "He needs to move out so you and everyone else can move on with their lives."

By 'everyone else' she most definitely meant herself and Caroline. Kate was now particularly keen to be rid of any possible stumbling blocks in their way and to move forward.

"He reckons to be looking for a place near the university but he says he can't afford anything until I buy out his half of the house….or we sell…"

"Surely he can rent somewhere in the meantime….Why can't he move in with Judith?"

Caroline's face screwed up in disgust at the mere mention of the wretched hovel that she had had the dubious pleasure of visiting when she had taken Judith home from the hospital after the woman had accidentally and inconveniently cut an artery on a broken wine bottle at the bottom of Caroline's front steps…. the same ill-fated night John had slept with Gillian.

"I have asked him to leave on several occasions so that we can all get on with our lives but with no success….I did have one thought on the problem but…"

"What?"

"I'm a bit embarrassed to say….It would require your help if you were willing….It's a big ask."

"Go on." Kate's curiosity was piqued.

"I was thinking that if you came to stay at my house temporarily…. A week or two at the most, I imagine is all it would take…but we tell John that you have moved in…Hopefully, at some point he'll get the message that I really am a lesbian and it's not just a phase and clear off for good."

Although Kate appeared for all the world to be carefully considering Caroline's idea, in reality there was nothing to consider. She would do anything for Caroline and to pretend to have moved in for the sake of ridding themselves of John was hardly a chore. Who knew, maybe it would lead to a more permanent arrangement. Right now though, she was simply trying to contain her excitement at the thought of living with Caroline and having her within immediate reach whenever she wanted her.

Not sure how to interpret Kate's hesitation and the bemused look on the woman's face, Caroline added, "Say if you think it's wrong or a daft idea…"

"No…no… It's not daft at all and I'd be happy to do it if you think it will work." Kate felt a silly grin working its way onto her face and did her best to control it.

"To be honest, I'm not sure it _will_ work but we can only try otherwise I'm fresh out of ideas….Are you certain you don't mind? It won't be too disruptive for you?"

Unable to resist any longer, Kate abandoned the teapot that was brewing on the bench and took the few steps that were necessary to bring her close enough to wrap an arm around Caroline's waist. She brushed her fingers through the blonde fringe then, brown eyes capturing blue, sealed her co-operation with a passionate kiss.

oooOooo

John had been sitting in the kitchen tapping away busily on his laptop for almost an hour when he was disturbed by the familiar bustle in the hallway of people arriving home from school.

The kitchen was always the first port-of-call and before too long Caroline appeared there followed by Lawrence who made a bee-line for the fridge. Kate hung back in the doorway feeling quite nervous, not that she was in any way intimidated by John, but rather, she feared that there was a chance that one day she may forget herself and grab the feckless fool by the throat and throttle him.

Caroline tossed out her hook and line. "Gillian's coming."

"Gillian?" John replied in surprise, taking the bait all too easily.

"Yes!...And Kate's here."

John followed the direction of Caroline's smile to see Kate standing in the entrance. He managed little more than a disapproving scowl before turning back to interrogate Caroline further on Gillian's imminent arrival.

"What's….what's Gillian coming here for?"

Ignoring John's question entirely in favour of speaking to Kate, Caroline asked, "Do you want some tea?" Her words carried overtones of something far more intimate than a cup of tea, partly for John's benefit and partly as a promise of things to come later in the evening.

"Ooh," Kate replied, reading between the lines and then, as an afterthought, said a polite, "Hi John."

"So is she staying? Long? Gillian?" John persisted, again taking no notice of Kate.

"I don't know. You'll have to ask her yourself. Oh, and Kate's moving in."

oooOooo

 ** _AN: Here's to what was in the beginning and could have been….should have been in the end. CHEERS! XXX_**


End file.
